A key principle of Fit for Mission is local decision-making, which means it’s essential for both clergy and laity to work together to help shape the future of their parish. While the journey each deanery takes will be unique to them, a common theme is the importance of collaboration across all areas of the process. Paul Carhart, Church Warden at All Saints Stoneycroft, who are a part of West Derby deanery and ‘Cohort 1’ of the programme, shares his experiences of getting involved in the right buildings team and shadow PCC.
Paul’s involvement in Fit for Mission began a few years ago, when he attended an open day style event at his local church. This event, which featured short presentations on key topics, as well as time for informal conversation, offered a chance for people to explore some of the different areas of Fit for Mission they may like to be involved with. It was at this point Paul decided to get involved.
One of Paul’s Primary focuses has been the ‘Right buildings’ process, which evaluates and analyses church spaces to determine how mission can best be supported. “We knew from the start there would be tough conversations,” Paul says. “If we started from scratch, we wouldn’t necessarily choose some of the buildings we have now, but it’s been incredibly humbling to hear about all the different things that go on in each church, and what the buildings mean to people, as a part of their family history.”
Paul emphasises how valuable it was to have a team with diverse perspectives throughout the project. “We had people from all sorts of backgrounds—some with building knowledge, some without,” he explains. “It wasn’t about one or two people carrying all the work; everyone really pitched in.” He also notes that the process had help from the central Fit for Mission team “It’s important to say that while it takes a lot of work and commitment, and that things do not happen overnight there is a lot of support”, he says, highlighting the resources available to project teams, including a building surveyor who contributed significantly to the technical aspects.
Paul also became involved with the shadow PCC, a transitional body designed to help churches get ready for new governance structures. With a background in governance, Paul has used his experience to help establish policies and frameworks that will lighten the administrative load for parishes. “I know there’s some worry about losing local autonomy,” he acknowledges, “but moving the governance to a joint PCC will free us up in our local church to focus on making more connections within our communities.” Paul shares an example: “In our PCC meetings, we spend so much time talking about things like marriage fees and building maintenance, which doesn’t leave much time for mission-related work. If we could offload that, imagine the conversations we could be having instead—things that really impact our community.”
Reflecting on the process, Paul sees a lot of value in the collaborative approach. “When we share resources and take the burden off each other, we can focus on the work that really matters,” he explains. He believes that these changes are a path toward a stronger, more mission-oriented church community. To find out more about the right buildings team, governance and PCCs, or other key Fit for mission topics, you can watch these videos, here…
